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Legal Research Skills Guide: Case law

Learning outcomes

Case law refers to the decisions made by the courts and can also be referred to as common law or judge-made law.

By the end of this section you will be able to:

  • Decipher case references
  • Understand the difference between reported, unreported, authorised and unauthorised judgments
  • Locate cases using a case citator
  • Explain the different parts of a case

Case law menu

This section of the guide will assist you in developing your skills in understanding and locating case law, including:

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